Headlight



July 10, 1923. 4,464,544

T. W. POST HEADLIGHT Filed Sept. 12 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FR-44 Y- I Truman Ml P051 July M), 1923.

T. w. POST HEADLIGHT Filed Sept. 12 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elmwwtoz fr /r70 W. Pom

Fatented duly id,

entree sra rs var ant crates.

TRWMAN W. POST, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODES ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC AUTO- LITE CORIORATION, OE TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF HLIGIBIT.

Application filed September 12, 1917. Serial Ito. 199,977.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TRUMAN W. Pos'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Headlights, of which I declare the followin to be v full, clear, and exact description. dhis invention relates to improvements in headlights and more particularly to automobile headlights of the tilting reflector t e.

l n an automobile headlight of the tilting reflector type, in which means are provided for tilting the reflector from a position in which it gives a substantially horizontal beam of light to one in which the beam ot light is deflected downwardly on the ground, it is highly desirable that the angle at which the beam of light is deflected downwardly be quite accurately determined. It the defiection is not great enough the beam of light will glare, while if it is too great the ground in front of the moving vehicle will not be illuminated to so t a distance as would be possible without the headlights glarin It is also highly desirable to provi e means whereby the deflected position of each headlight can be independently adjusted without disturbing the other or a common operating means, because if the beams of light are deflected downwardly at difierent angles they will strike the ground at dift'erent points, giving an efi'ect WlllCh is very annoying to the driver.

It is also highly desirable, and in fact, essential to provide entirely automatic means which will insure that the headlight will come to rest in but two. positions, namely: The horizontal position and the completely deflected position.

It may also be deemed desirable to provide means whereby the total angular movement of the reflector will be fixed, but the limits of said movement may be adjusted at will.

it is therefore an object of my inven- "tion to provide in a mechanically operated headlight, mechanism having these advantages and to provide tilting mechanism which, in its normal use, always moves the reflector to its extreme position in either direction.

Another l :if:i is to o /ids for means for ddual ad i'i'lleitli ct redti 'agrammatic view showing connections to tuating member.

Further objects of this invention relate to 6 economies of manufacture and details of construction as will hereinafter appear from the detailed description to follow. l accomplish the objects of my invention in one instance by the devices and means described in the following specification, but it is evident that the same may be varied widely without dcpalrting from the scope of the invention as pointed out in the appended claims. A structure constituting one embodiment of my invention, which may be the preferred, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof in which:

Figure l is a view, in side elevation, of the forward part of a motor vehicle equipped with headlights embodying my invention.

Figure H is a vertical, sectional View taken throu in one of the headlights.

Figure H is a detail, fra mentary, sectional view taken substantially on the line ill-HI of Figure H.

Figure IV is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially on the line lV-IV of F i re H.

" igure V is a fragmentary view, inside elevation, showing the operating lever and the casing therefor secured to the steering. column.

Figure V1 is a plan view of the operating lever casing with the cover removed taken substantially on the line VL-Vll oi Figure V Figure Vlil is a detail, sectional view taken substantially on the line VII-Will of Fi ure VI.

higure VH1 is a detail, perspective view of the operating lever, and Fig. is a ditwo head lights In the drawings, similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Considering the numbered parts or the drawingll' have shown a motor vehicle id at ii'orward ends oi the frame the supporting standards 11 in which the.

headlight cam? 12 are mounted in the usual manner. he forward end of the easing 12 is closed by the lens 13 carried by a ring 14 which is secured to the casing in the usual manner. A parabolic reflector 15 is pivotally mounted in the casing 12 on' pivots; (not shown) located approximately inthe plane of the reflector may turn on a horizontal axis and said reflector carries-a socket 16 at the rear end thereof in which the light bulb 17 is mounted. An annular, forwardly facing groove 19 is formed at the forward end of the reflector and a packing ring 18 of wicking or other suitable material is dissed 1n said-groove. A pane of glass 20 is placed over the forward end of the refiector with its periphery abutting said packing ring, and held in place by the split clamping ring 21, the ends of which are provided with radially extending ears 22, through the arts of the clamping ring together and hold it in place. A connector 24 is carried by the rear end of the casing 12 and electrically connected with the sockets 16 by the wires 25.

A clamp 26 embraces the socket 16 between the refiector 15 and the casing 12, said clam being provided with ears 28 through. which the bolt 27 passes. The wire 29 is secured at its upper end tothe bolt 27 and an upper disc 30' and a lower disc 31 are mounted on said wire, as shown in Figure 111. A compression spri g 32 is disposed around said wire 28 with its ends abutting said discs. The boss 33 is secured to the casing 12 in any spitable manner and carries a sleeve 34, the innerend of which extends into the casing 12 and the lower end of which is s lit at 35. A clamp 36 is provided with aterally extending ears throu h which the bolt 37 passes, to draw the'sp it ends of the sleeve 34 together; An inner sleeve 38 is slidably mountedin the sleeve 34 and carries a pin 39 which extends throng-ha loop 40, formed in the wire 29, the adjacent portions of the wire forming the loop being soldered or otherwise secured together at 41 so that the length of said loopis fixed. The lower end of said sleeve is split at 39' as shown'in Figures HI and IV. Ahook 42 is formed on the lower end of the wire 29 adjacent the lower end of the sleeve 38 and is adapted to be engaged by an eye 45 formed on the end of the wire 44 which is disposed in the tubing 43, the up :send of which is mounted in the lower en of the sleeve 38. This tubing 43 may very well be formed from hollow, flexible -,shafting.

Thetubing 43 extends from each headlightto the steering column 68 and up the steering column to a position within easy the glass 20 so that I which the bolt 23 passes to draw reaching distanceof the steering wheel where a casing 46 is secured to the steering column by the clips 47, the ends of which extend through the lugs 48 projecting from thesides of the casing 46 and are secured thereto by the nuts 49. A cover'50 is provided for the casing'46, to by the/screws 51. :Grooves 52 are provided in the lower end of the casing" and the ends of the tubes 43 lie in said grooves. The cover is, likewise provided 'with grooves 53'co-operating with the grooves 52 so that when the cover 50 is secured in place on the casing 46, the ends of the tubes 43 are clamped in said "grooves." An operating lever 54 is fulcrumed at 55 in the casing 46 being secured therewith its operating end extending through an opening 56 in the side of the casing. A supplementary latching lever 57 is fulcrumed at 5.8 on the lever 54, said lever 54 being U-shaped so the supplementary latching lever 57 is disposed within the channel of the lever 54. A spring 60 is secured to the lever 57, theend of the spring 60 being turned laterally and extending into the lever 57 at 61 and said lever has a. beveled nose 59 which is adapted to engage a 0st 62 in the casing 46. An equalizing b ock' 63 is disposed in the casin 46 and the ends of the wires 44 are secur to said block by means of the .screws 64. The block 63 is connected to the lever 54 by the spring 65, which is connected to the block 63 at 66 and to the pin 67 screwed into the lever 54. The spring is much stifl'er than .the spring 32 so that the spring 32 will operate in pref-.

erence to the spring 65. I

From the description of the parts given above, the operation of this device should be veryreadily understood. The parts are shown in full lines in the position which they occupy, in order to throw a horizontal beam of light." By a reference to Figure VI, it will be seen that the lever 54 is held in its upper position by the engagement of the nose 59 with the post 62. When the driver wishes tothrow the reflectors into nonlaring position, he presses down on the late ing lever 57 which releases the nose 59 from engagement with the post 62 and permits the ever 54 to swing downwardly to the position shown in dotted lines. This movement .is efiected by the spring 32 which presses upwardly on the disc 30, which abuts the clamp 26 and throws the reflector to the position shown in dotted lines. This movementis limited by the engagement of the loop 40 in the wire 29 with the pin 39 which is fixed in the sleeve 38. It will be seen that this pin limits the movement of the wire 29 in both directions. The total angular movement of the reflector is fixed, being determined by the length ofthe loop 40. The limits of said angular movement, however, may be varied by'adjusting the sleeve 38 so I memes which carries the pin 39. This adjustment is effected by loosening the clamp 36 and moving the sleeve 38 within the sleeve 34 which is fixed to the casing. It will be seen that this adjustment may be effected without disturbing the operating mechanism at all. The reflector is held in its horizontal position by means of the supplementary latching lever 57, and when this is released and the lever 54 is moved so that the reflector is in any position other than the horizontal posi tion, the spring 32 will automatically move the reflector as far as permitted by the engagement of the loop 40 with the pin 39, so that the reflector cannot remain in any position intermediate to its limits of movement.

It will be seen that the lever 54 is so arranged in the casing that it will be up when the beam of light is up and that it will be down when the beam of light is deflected, so that it indicates to the driver whether the beam of light is in the horizontal position or not. The spring 65 forms aslightly resilient connection between the wires 44 and the lever 54 so that even if the stop 39 does not exactly correspond to the position of the post 62 the lever can be latched in its upper position, By means of-the hook and eye connection between the wire 29 and the wire 44, the headlight and its tilting mechanism may be removed without disturbing the tube 43 and the wire 44 carried thereby. The only adjustment which is possible is that of the sleeve 38 and this adjustment cannot alter the throw of the reflector but merely changes the limits of the throw. By means of this adjustment, the deflected position of the reflectors can be varied until they strike the ground in front of the vehicle at the same angle and at a proper angle so as to prevent the glaring of the headlights.

I am aware that the particular embodiment of my invention, here shown and described, is susceptible of considerable variation without departing from the spirit thereof and, therefore, I desire to claim my invention broadly, as indicated by the appended claims. 7 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality of headlight casings, a tiltable reflector in each of said casings, adjustable stop means for rendering the limits of movement of each reflector independentof the other, and means for tilting both of said reflectors, said means including av common controlling member and connections with said reflectors providin relative self-adjustment.

2. Ina device of the class described, the combination of a casing having a lens, a tiltable reflector, adjustable means for limiting the movement of said reflector, and means for moving said reflector including an element adapted to yield when said reflector has reached said limiting means.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing having a lens, a tiltable reflector mounted in said casing, adjustable means to limit the tilting of said reflector, means to tilt said reflector, and a same is yieldingly held against a stop in one or the other of its limiting positions.

5. In a device of the class described, the Combination of a plurality of head-light casings, the reflector mounted to tilt in each of said casings, means including a common controlling element for moving each of said reflectors to a limited nonglare position and a single adjusting means for each head-light for independently determining both the initial and the terminal positions of the respective reflectors.

6. A device of the class described, comprising the combination of a casing; a reflector pivotally mounted therein; means for moving said reflector; and a single stop for limiting the movement of said reflector in both directions.

7. A device of the class described, com- .prising the combination of acasing; a reflector pivotally mounted therein; means for moving said reflector including a mov able member; and a single stop to limit the movement of said member in both directions to limit the angular movement of said reflector.

8. A device of the class described, coinprisin the combination with a motor vehicle including a frame and steering column, of a air of casings mounted at the forward en of said frame, a reflector pivotally mounted in each casing, means for moving said reflectors including a pair of movable members, a manually controlled operating member mounted on said steering column, means connecting said operating member with said movable members to equalize the tension in said members and means for limiting the throw of each of said movable members to limit the angular movement of said reflectors.

Q. A. device of the class described, cornprlsing the combination of a casing; a reflector pivotally mounted therein; a single means for limiting the movement of said.

I bodily adjustable;

reflector in both directions; said means being bodily adjustable; and means-for moving said reflector.

10. A device of the class described, comprising the combination of a casing; a reflector pivotally mounted therein, means for moving said reflector, and a single stop for limiting the movement of said reflector in both directions, said stop being carried by said casing and bodily adjustable with reference thereto.

11. A device of the class described, comprising the combination of a casing; a reflector pivotally mounted therein; means for limiting the movement of said reflector in both directions, said means being and means for moving Said reflector to the in both directions. 12. A device of the class described, comprising the combination of a casing; a reflector pivotally mounted therein; a sleeve extending through and adjustably mount ed in said casing; a member extending through said sleeve and connected to the rear end of said reflector; means for moving said member; and means for limiting the movement of said member, carried by said sleeve.

13. A device of the classdescribed, comprising the combination of a casing; a refiector pivotally mounted in said .casing; a sleeve carried by and extending. through said casing and adjustably mounted there.

in; 'a' wire extending through said sleeve and connected to the rear end of said reflector; means carried by said limiting the movement of said Wire; means for moving said wire; and s prin means for moving said reflector in one irection.

14. A device of the class described, comprising the combination of a casing; a reflector pivotally mounted therein; a tube carried by and extending through said casing; a sleeve adjustably mounted insaid tube and provided with atransverse pin; a wire connected atone end to the rear end of said reflector and at the other end to'an operatin wire, said wire being provided with a .7 oop of fixed dimensions through which said in extends.

15. A'device of the; class described, comprising the combination of a casing; a relimit of its movement said operating wires;

sleeve for limited position.

inertia flector pivotally mounted therein; a sleeve extending through and adjustably mounted on said casing; a pin extending trans versely of through said sleeve; a wire extending adapted to be secured to the steering colsaid sleeve andconnected at one end to the rear end-of said reflector and at the other end to an operating member,,

a reflectorpivotally mounted m.

umn of the motor vehicle; an operating lever pivotally mounted in said casing;

mansfor latching said lever in one positiont; connections between said lever and for moving said'lever away from its latched position.

17. In a combination of a casing, a reflector pivotally mounted therein, manually actuated means for moving said reflector to its limit of movement in one direction, automatic means for moving said reflector to its limit of movement in the opposite direction, and

a single adjusting means for determining both theinitial and terminal positions of I said reflector.

and spring means device of the class describedgthe 18. In a device of the class described, the

combination of plurality of head-light casings, a tiltable reflector in each of said casings, means to limit movement of each reflector independently of the other, means for moving said reflectors in unison to their individual limited positions. 19. In a device of the; class described, the

combination of a casing, a reflector tiltably' mounted therein, sto limiting positions 0 said refiector, resil-' ient means for holding said reflector in its normal limited position and means for resiliently holding said reflector in its other means for. the two my signa- TERU PQST.

In testimony whereof ll f r;

tune. 

